Objectives
- In an animation of statewide Mesonet data, the student will be able to list the variable contoured, its units, and the duration represented.
- The student will be able to analyze meteorological data and arrive at conclusions using animations of dewpoint temperatures and winds.
- Given an animation of the winds across the state, the student will be able to determine the preferred location(s), if any, for the advection of moisture into the state.
- Given two animations, one depicting the winds across the state and one depicting dewpoint temperatures, the student will be able to determine what region, if any, experienced increasing moisture as a result of advection.
- The advection of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico occurs regularly in Oklahoma when the winds are from the southeast or south. This increase in moisture is most evident in the fall (when the Gulf is still warm) and the late spring (when winds are strong). You may use your own animations of dewpoint temperature and wind vectors using current or recent Oklahoma Mesonet data.
| PROCEDURE 1. Using WxImage or another QuickTime® movie player, animate the movie "TDEW11041996.mov" several times. Step through the movie frame-by-frame at least once to examine the changing weather more thoroughly. 2. Animate "WIND11041996.mov" several times. Step through the movie frame-by-frame at least once. 3. Review each movie as many times as necessary to answer the following questions. QUESTIONS 1. What Mesonet variable is color contoured in the first movie? What units are used for this variable? 2. What Mesonet variable is represented by color vectors in the second movie? What units are used for this variable? 3. How many hours are represented in the movie? During what part(s) of the day (e.g., late afternoon)? 4. Describe the general trend of how the dewpoint temperatures change in Oklahoma from the start of the animation to its end. 5. At 12:00 AM, where are the highest dew points located? Approximately what values are these highest dew points? 6. At 4:00 PM, where are the highest dew points located? Approximately what values are these highest dew points? 7. Describe the general trend of how the winds change in Oklahoma from the start of the animation to its end. 8. In the Panhandle, do the dew points increase or decrease during the day? From what general direction are the winds blowing? 9. In eastern Oklahoma, do the dew points increase or decrease during the day? From what general direction are the winds blowing? 10. What physical atmospheric property is measured using dewpoint temperature? 11. In your opinion, what factor(s) influenced how the dew points changed in the Panhandle versus how they changed in eastern Oklahoma? |
PREREQUISITES
Advection Contour Line Dew point Dewpoint temperature Vector CORE CURRICULUM SKILLS APPLIED IN THIS LESSON
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